Application Requirements:
• All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. (CST) on Friday, October 27, 2023
• Applicants may be required to submit to an interview. If your application is selected for an interview, you will be informed via email.
• Individuals who have previously received a scholarship from DSF may not be eligible, but applications will be accepted for consideration.
• For questions, please contact dsfchicago.scholarships@gmail.com.
• Individuals who receive scholarships must attend the Unity Award Gala (Thursday, January 18, 2024, 5 p.m. Cocktail Reception and 6 p.m. Dinner & Program, JW Marriott Chicago, Grand Ballroom, 151 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60603). Failure to be present during the award presentation and through the end of the program will result in forfeiture of the scholarship.
PLEASE NOTE: THE NEW DSF/PILI INTERNSHIP FOR SPRING 2024 HAS A SEPARATE APPLICATION PROCESS. New in 2023, the Diversity Scholarship Foundation is proud to be partnering with the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) to provide a paid internship with an Illinois public interest agency to a deserving law student in the spring of next year! PILI’s Law Student Internship Program connects law students with public interest law agencies in Illinois and pays them for their work. Interns receive $3,250.00 for working 200 hours during a semester. Interns can also receive law school credit for their Internship if first approved by both the student’s law school and agency. PILI ensures quality supervision by experienced attorneys while also providing supplemental programmatic, networking and educational opportunities. PILI is now accepting applications for the Spring Semester on a rolling basis through the beginning of December. For more information, please visit https://pili.org/internships/apply-for-a-spring-pili-internship/.
A complete application must include the following:
- Resume
- Transcript including at least two semesters of coursework. NOTE: Applicants must have completed two semesters of law school coursework to qualify for a scholarship unless applying for the LSAT scholarship as an undergraduate student.
- Up to two (2) letters of recommendation from individuals not related to you.
- An essay of no more than 500 words explaining your commitment to advocating for diversity in the legal profession or your experience as a diverse student. You may use an additional page to discuss any additional information (financial or otherwise) that you feel is relevant to your application in an essay of no more than 250 words.
- PLEASE READ THE APPLICATION AND INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY! Frequently asked questions are addressed at diversitychicago.org/faq/. Failure to follow application instructions will result in negative evaluation scores by the Scholarship Committee. Any scholarship-related questions or inquiries should be sent to dsfchicago.scholarships@gmail.com.